


Flowers

by ScullyLovesQueequeg



Series: Tumblr Shorts [4]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst, Complete, F/M, Ficlet, post - IWTB
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-18 08:26:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21591451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScullyLovesQueequeg/pseuds/ScullyLovesQueequeg
Summary: Mulder visits Scully at the hospital to give her a gift.
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Series: Tumblr Shorts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1532234
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt was, “I don’t want to think about what I’d be like without you.”

The early morning breeze caused him to shiver, and even though he had his coat, it wasn’t enough to keep out the encroaching chill that the end of fall brought. Most of the beautiful autumn foliage had fallen, and became litter in the gutters of the streets, causing any sort of rainfall to automatically be a flood. It wasn’t a problem for him. He lived out in the woods, off the beaten path, in a house that might as well have been haunted, with how far removed it was.

The remoteness never used to be a problem. It had been a blessing and one that he took for granted. He once had someone to share the house with, but now, he lived alone, and the large farmhouse was far too big for just him. They’d once planned to adopt a couple of children and got as far as meeting a social worker, and even visiting an agency, but when they got back home, she said it didn’t feel right, and they never spoke of it since.

Mulder waited outside of the flower shop, rubbing his hands together and blowing on them; it wasn’t quite glove weather, or at least he hadn’t thought so, but the numbers that the news had reported didn’t quite match how it felt outside. He thought he saw movement in the back of the store, and with a slight air of impatience (it was 9:05, after all) he rapped his knuckles against the glass. It was enough to summon the owner who emerged from the back of the store and unlocked the door to let him in.

“Was it really that urgent?” The owner asked, clearly annoyed. Mulder let her have her moment. He didn’t need to make any more enemies.

“I’m sorry, I guess I could have waited, I just wanted to catch her before she became too busy,” Mulder admitted, his voice unusually soft. The tone must have surprised the owner, who adjusted hers.

“It’s alright. Girlfriend upset with you?”

That question gave Mulder pause; while they had been together for years, and even had a child together, he and Scully were not married, or even planning to be. It was one of the biggest sources of contention for them. Always convinced she could do better, he resisted any real plans for their future.

“Uh, what do you call someone who is more than a girlfriend, but not quite a wife? We’re somewhat… estranged, if that helps,” Mulder admitted, and the owner felt bad for asking.

“I’m sorry. Are they for her?” The owner asked, leading Mulder to the counter, as she tried to decide how best to help him.

“Yes, it’s not her birthday or anything special. I guess I just wanted to tell her I was sorry,” Mulder said, his shoulders rising and falling. The flower shop owner gave him a sympathetic smile.

“Hmm, well, you could go with whatever her favorite is,” The owner said, watching Mulder’s expression falter.

“I… I don’t know what they are. She… she did have a little garden when she lived with me but she just grew some vegetables. She’s a practical person, not really big on sentimentality—she’s a doctor, so… science is her thing. I just… I guess I never asked,” Mulder admitted, feeling even worse.

“It’s okay, in this day and age, sending flowers as a gesture is a dying art. Let’s go with something tried and true. Maybe some hydrangeas? I have some purple ones she’d probably like. Does she have a favorite color?”

Again, Mulder looked away shamefully.

“You can probably start to see why we’re estranged…” He added quietly. The owner felt genuinely bad for him but headed over to get the flowers in question.

“We’ll go with hydrangeas then. I think the purple ones are best, in your case,” The owner said, with an air of levity. Mulder didn’t quite get the joke, which the owner quietly chuckled about.

“Thank you. I think she’ll like them if she doesn’t throw them in my face or in the trash,” Mulder remarked, as the owner prepared a bouquet for him.

“I sincerely hope she doesn’t, I think that she’ll appreciate the gesture. Good luck.”

“I’m looking for a Doctor Scully,” Mulder said, gripping the bouquet of flowers just a little tighter out of nervousness. The hospital receptionist stared at him, debating if she should help him or not. After a moment, she relented and pushed a clipboard towards him.

“Sign in, and give me your ID. Are you a delivery person?” The receptionist asked, finding the appropriate extension for pediatrics and shouldering the phone’s handset.

“No, I’m—I’m a friend,” Mulder said, setting the bouquet down for the moment and signing his name. He retrieved his ID, and once the receptionist looked at it, he took the bouquet again.

“Hi, Shannon? Is there a doctor Scully there? I have a—a,” The receptionist paused to read what Mulder had written. “A Fox Muldoon here to see her.”

“It’s _Mulder_ ,” He corrected quietly, but the receptionist ignored him.

“Okay, I’ll send him up, thank you,” She said, before hanging up. She wrote something down and then handed him a sticker.

“Put this on your coat, you’re going to the 4th floor, down the hall, and to the right is the elevator. The second, fourth and sixth cars go to those floors, the others are express.” The receptionist said. Mulder nodded and wandered off to the elevators.

When he got there, he reached over to hit the call button when the doors opened, and Scully stepped out. She paused when she saw Mulder.

“Mulder, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?” Concern saturated her tone, and together, they walked towards the back, where the pavilion was.

“I… I just wanted to say hi. I went and got you flowers,” He said, handing the bouquet over. Scully seemed genuinely surprised, and took the bouquet from him, looking it over.

“Mulder, these are lovely,” She spoke, her voice quiet, and maybe even sad. She glanced up at him, and he could see the lines of exhaustion that marred her otherwise perfect features. He wanted to kiss them away. “Thank you, I’m touched… how have you been? I’m sorry it’s been so long since we’ve last spoken, I’ve been busy… one of my patients…”

She continued to prattle on about her patient, and Mulder watched her, smiling a little and watching her get lost in her work. Once upon a time, he was the same way, and it had also caused them strife too.

“…what? What’s wrong?” Scully asked when she realized Mulder was just staring, and not responding to her question. Their eyes met, and Mulder felt a pull of desire for her.

So he kissed her. He was even more surprised that she didn’t pull away, instead embracing him when he had broken it off. She held him tightly.

“I’ve missed you so much,” He heard her say, her voice muffled by his coat. He slipped his arm around her waist, hugging her back. He inhaled deeply, taking in her scent, mixed with the sterile, hospital smell she often carried with her.

“Please come home,” He whispered, and finally, she pulled back, holding the bouquet in front of her, so as to discourage him from moving closer.

“Mulder, I can’t, you know I can’t do that. Is that what this was? Is that why you got me this?” She asked, indicating the flowers.

“No, I… I just wanted to bring you something nice. I almost didn’t come, I wanted to have someone else send it, but it’s been two weeks since I’ve left the house,” Mulder admitted. Scully gave him a look of pity, but gently caressed his face and leaned in to give him a soft kiss.

“You shaved. For me?”

“Yes,” Mulder admitted bashfully, looking down at the flowers between them. Scully took his hand and began to stroll with him down the walkway and toward the pavilion.

“Mulder, I… I never stopped loving you, I hope you know that. I just… I’m worried about you. Have you been eating? You’ve lost weight.”

“I eat enough,” Mulder lied, glancing elsewhere. Scully squeezed his hand.

“I don’t think so, or else you would be gaining weight. You need to eat more. Do you need money? Do you have food? I’m guessing you do delivery…” Scully sighed. “This is why I left. I can’t be behind you all the time, it’s exhausting. I’m not your mother, I… I just can’t stand to see you wasting away. It’s killing me.”

“You know… when I think about all that’s happened over the years… I think my biggest regret is that I didn’t fight to keep you from joining me in the basement. It would have saved you a lot of pain. You could actually have a family—”

“Mulder, don’t…”

“—an actual life and things would be so different—”

“Mulder, stop…”

“—and you wouldn’t have to worry about me—”

Scully stopped, and dropped his hand, but turned to face him, her expression one of muted anger.

“ _Goddamn it, Mulder!_ You always do this shit! When are you ever going to get it that you are enough? You always have been. It’s always been you, Mulder. I was at my happiest being at your side, being challenged intellectually. Maybe things didn’t work out the way I wanted—the way we wanted—but it doesn’t mean I was unhappy,” Scully said, her voice quaking with emotion.

Mulder stared at his feet, feeling the weight of her words hit him like a frenzied boxer determined to win. His gut almost hurt with the amount of sadness her voice brought. He missed her _so badly_.

“I’m sorry,” Mulder managed to croak out, feeling very small. He heard Scully sigh deeply.

“I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t—I shouldn’t have blown up like that. You’re depressed, you can’t help it. It was irresponsible of me to get upset with you. I just—it hurts hearing that you regret meeting me. No matter what, I’m truly glad that I have you. I don’t want to think about what I’d be like without you. I… I love you,” She said the last bit softly, almost bashfully, and Mulder reached for her hand and kissed it softly, before patting it and letting it go, smiling sadly.

“I’m happy to see you, Mulder. I’d like to come to visit you, maybe just before Thanksgiving. I’m going to my mother’s this year,” Scully said, and Mulder sort of shrank away from her.

“I hope you have a good time,” Mulder said quietly.

“You should come too. She enjoys having you there,” Scully said, beginning to walk back towards the hospital. Mulder walked alongside her, considering her request.

“It’s probably better if I don’t, I don’t want to ruin things,” Mulder said, putting his hands in his pockets. He slid his thumb over the keys, feeling reassurance that they were there. _A means to escape._

“Well, if you change your mind, you know where I’ll be. Thank you for the flowers, I really appreciate it. You’re always welcome to come visit me here,” Scully said, with a small smile. Mulder returned her smile with a sad one of his own.

“Let’s do this again in about a month,” He said, and Scully laughed softly.

“Maybe sooner. I want to see you again. But I need you to promise me something.”

“For you? Anything.”

“I need you to promise me that when you get home, you’re going to give Dr. Fillbert a call.”

Mulder hesitated, and let out a sigh, but nodded.

“I’ll give him a call.”


End file.
